May concern



EDWARD GRAY, OF OIYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO.

Leners .Patent No. 76,747, daad Apr-."1 14, isos.

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TO ALL WHOM vI'I.L MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, EDWARD GRAY, ot" Cuyahoga Falls, in the county of Summit, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Self-Adjusting I-Iospital Spring-Bed'Botto'm; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain improvements in invalid-bedsteads, which consist principally in novel devices for adjusting diierent parts of the bed for the-comfort and convenience of the invalid, and also ina novel arrangement for lifting him from the bed or turning him from side to side, when desired, as will be fully described hereinafter.

Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation, and

Figure 2 a plan view with the top detached.

In the drawings,Arepresents the bedsteadA proper, which may be constructed of any general form desired.

A1 A1 represent the side-rails, constructed as shown, with the grooves, a a, upon their inner sides, in which rest the springs, al. These springs are formed of a continuous strip of steel, bent in suitable curves.

B I3 represent the bed-frame, whose sides rest upon the springs a", and which iskept in place by inserting one end under the cap, e2, the other being held in place by means ofthe pin in the cap c3, the top of the latter beingopen to allow the frame to slide within it. By this arrangement, the frame is readily removed, and put in place again whenrlesired.

The bed-frame, it will be observed, consists of three parts, 132132,35, which .divide the bedinto upper, middle, and lower parts. The upper part, B1, is hinged upon the rod d, and swings up toward the middle. This arrangement being intended for the purpose of allowing the invalid to ,assume a sitting posture, when desirous of so doing.

C represents a shaft, hung in proper bearings beneath the bedstead, which is provided with the gear-wheels ec, and ratchet-wheels c c1, engaging with which latter is the pawl c2.

C also represents a shaft, hung in proper bearings, and-placed in front-of shaft C, upon which is placed the quarter gear-wheel c, as shown, which latter engages with 'gear-wheels c c, when the shaft is rotated to the proper point.

Osrepresents a. frame, loosely hung upon shaft C', which projects over shaft O, and which is provided with friction-wheels, y, at its ends. i

This frame is operated by means of the gearing c, which, when thrown back, lcomes in contact with the frame, (its end being split and turned in each direction for that purpose) and forces it against the upper part of the bed-frame B1, by which the latter is elevated. l

B3 representsthe middle part ofthe bed, which is hung upon the ro'd bf, and which turns up toward the head. This is also operated by means of a frame, O, and the gearing e3, 'as will be described .morefully hereinafter.

It will be observed that the sides of the part Biare constructed of peculiar shape, as shown, being provided with lthe notch be, which rests upon the rod vThis rod is bent at each end, so as to form 'a crank-shaft, by means of which arrangement it may be pulled away, by using the handles If, and the part B2 be let down or elevated, as may be desired. l I

When it is desired to elevate the part B2, the frame C* is Operated, and the rearend of B2 is thus 'thrown up until the sides pass above the rod b", by which latter it is held in position. The. lower portion of the bed-A frame, B3, is let fall similarly to B2.

It will be observed .that in the upper and lower portion of the frame, the slats consist of,roll ers,:v rv, while in the middle portion the slats are dat, as usual. By this arrangement,` the necessary changes of theI head and foot are much facilitated, as the friction oft-the bedding upon-the slats is thereby much diminished.v In the centre, however, it is desirable that the' bedding should be firmly held, .and the slats are therefore made hat.

l will now describe thc mannerlof making the changes.. l

If it is desired-to raise the invalid to a sitting posture, a crank is placed upon-the head 4of shaft C` which, being revolved, throws up the frame C", by which thehead portion is elevated.

The rolling slats diminish the friction ofthe bedding moving upon them, which oilicc is alsoperformed by the frictionrollers in the lower frameI by which means the operation is rendered easy ofnccomplishment, although the invalid beperfcctly helpless. This operation may be still more easily performed, if, when the quarterwheel c engages with the gear-wheel c c, the crank bc'shii'ted 'to the head of shaft C, by which means the power' is more advantageously applied.

The head is held in any desired position by means'of the ratchet and pawl, holding shaft C. When it is desired to let down the head, levers 0*, connected by the rod e", throws off the pawl, c?.

In regard to the middle portion, B2, when it is desired to use the bed-pan,` 'or let it dowi for other lcouvenence, one oi' the handles, 6*, on either side ofthe bed,` is forced back, by which means the rod is thrown out from under its rear end, and it swings down. When it is desired to raise it for the` purpose of allowing. the invalid to rest, by change of position, or for other purpose, the crank is placed upon thc'shaft Cl, and it is revolved in the opposite direction `from before, by which means the frame C is forced up against it, und it is elevated until the sides pass above the rod b, which latter immediately fails by its .own weight beneath it, and supports it in that position. 1 v

The lower part is operated in asimilar manner, by means of a handler-situated at the'rear of the bed.

M M represent a frame, which `is attached to the bedstead for'the purposeof supporting the liftiugarrangement. l i

M1 M1 represent parts which are attached to the frame by means of the hooked bands m m, as shown.

M2 M represent the top rail, by which the frame is held together, and in which are placed the shafts N N. These shafts are situated one at each end of the frame, and are each provided with the double fixed wheels n n n nl, to which are attached the bands 0,0 o al, the lutter of which are provided with the hooks a2 o, which are used to hold the sheet-frame P. u

Upon the shaft N is placedthe flanged wheel x, a part of which is cutaway, as shown, leaving a hook-like projection, 2:2. Within this depression is caught the rod se", to which the upper end ofthe main band R is attached, the lower end being fastened to. a fixed wheel, r, upon the shaft C. Y v

These bands are so arranged upon these wheels relatively to each other, that when the band R is moved upon the wheel 1' upon the shaft C, by means of a crank placed upon its' head, the bands o o are wound upon shaft N, and unwound upon shaft Nl, all the bands o, holwever, ascending together, and the contrary takes place when the movement is reversed. 4

x P represents-a sheet-frame, formed of a single rod of metal, with eyes in each corner, foi-.the purpose of attachment to the hooks of To this frame the lsheet is attached by any suitable means.'

This sheet being inserted under the invalid, and theframe being attached, he may be raised entirely from thc bed, or turned from one side to the other, by unhoolcing the bands upon either side, as may be desired.

S represents a board, provided upon each side with the rods s s, over which hook the ears, s s, of the rod S', which latter is supported in the frame M. It will be observed thatwhen the board is turned upon the rod S', (it moving freely for this purpose,) the foot-board of the bcdst-ead sc rvcs to support and steady the board, and makes it available for the purposes of a table. The `rods upon its sides moving freelyin the ears s, it can be adjusted forward or backward, as may be desired.

The various parts of this bcdstcad may be made detachable, so that it can be taken down, and set up readily in any place.

By these various devices, a very desirable invalid-bedstead is produced. I do not desire to confine myself to any particular-material or form for making the various parts, but propose to take what is best suited for the purpose. The stretchers may bc iron or wood, and other parts may be constructed of different materials, at option.

I-Iaving thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. 'lhe side rails A1, with grooves a, caps n? a, in combination with springs al, and bed-franie Bl, B2, B3, as and for the purpose set forth. l

2. The bed-frame, with parts B l", having rollers :c x, in combination with partB, having flat slats, substantially as and for the purpose described. i p

3. The middle part, B2, of thc bed-fran1e, constructed as described, in combination with rod Zr" arranged as described, as and for the purpose set fort-h.

4. The table S,with rods s, in combination with ears s, and rod S', substantially as described.

5. The shaft Cl, with frames C3 C', when combined and arranged so as to operate the head-piece, B, or middle part, BZ, of thebed-frame, or both, in the manner and for the purpose described.

This specification signed and witnessed, this twenty-fourth day of February, 1868.

EDWARD GRAY.

Witnesses:

Janus DUFFY, BENJAMIN' M. Bonner... 

